Japan PM stays away from war-linked Yasukuni shrine on surrender anniversary
Those paying respects early Saturday included Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi — a regular visitor — and senior members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
On the 81st anniversary of Japan's World War II surrender, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi avoided visiting the Yasukuni Shrine, which commemorates the country's wartime dead, including convicted war criminals from imperial Japan's Asian conquests in the 1930s and 1940s. Speculation had arisen that Takaichi might join former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, her former mentor, in attending the shrine in 2013, an action that had provoked anger in China and South Korea.
The shrine, which honors approximately 2.5 million war casualties, predominantly Japanese, draws large crowds and lawmakers annually on August 15, as well as on other religious festivals throughout the year, some of whom wear military-style attire. Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, a frequent visitor, and senior figures from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party were among those paying their respects on Saturday.
However, by 10 a.m., Takaichi remained absent from the shrine. Local media later reported her decision to refrain from attending.
Written by urgent.news from Japan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
